Ronin
by A.N. Harris
Summary: Shortly after the event of HBP, Severus returns to Death Eater Headquaters, only to learn his loyalty no longer lies to Voldemort, or even to the Order of the Phoenix. Nearly murdered, he is forced to flee, to save his own life....
1. Weak and Powerless

Snape ran as fast as he could. Get away from the wretched school, away from the chaos, away from what he did. Get away from the corpse of Dumbledore. Now they would know. Someone would know.

He stashed his wand. Harry was miles away at Hogwarts. A place he recognized came swimming into view - Spinner's End. Before he knew it, Snape was back in his sitting room, Wormtail shuttering around carrying a tray of dirty glasses to the kitchen. The little man looked at Snape, examining his filthy, torn robes, the breathless face, as Snape slumped into his armchair.

'What happened?' inquired Wormtail, dropping the tray. 'I felt the Mark on my arm, but I was ordered to stay put!'

'The boy - Malfoy - Lucius's son, let the Death Eater's into Hogwarts, and a battle ensued. Only one Death Eater dead, Gibbon. And Dumbledore - he is dead. I did it.'

'That was the boy's job!' squealed the little man. 'The Great One will certainly be angry with you, Severus!'

'HE COULDN'T DO IT! THE BOY WAS TOO WEAK!' Snape snapped, rising from the chair in an angry fury, his eyes bulging and spittle flying and hitting Wormtail in the face. 'I MADE THE UNBREAKABLE VOW TO DO IT FOR HIM! SURELY YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE DUMBLEDORE GONE!'

'Y-yes, Severus.' The little man sniveled.

'I did what I was to do.'

'You will certainly anger the Great Lord, and he no longer has a spy at Hogwarts!' Wormtail sniveled again, pointing a silver finger at Snape, shrewd, leering looks on his smug little face.

'He no longer has Dumbledore to be watched!' Snape spat, resuming his seat.

'He has Harry Potter to watch!'

'Damn it! Damn! I risked it all for this, and I still have the boy to watch!' he said, slapping his hand to his forehead. 'He knows. He knows it was I. The half-blood Prince killed his best friend, what a shame. He even used my own curses on me. How did he get that book? ...'

'Which book, Severus?' Wormtail sneered.

'My copy of _Advanced Potion Making_. I had created curses and wrote them there.'

'What will you do now? What do we do?'

'We hide. When the Dark Lord summons us, we go to him. Go underground. Follow what the Great One tells us to do.'

'And you left the Horcrux! The Dark lord will be most displeased! It's the one the Dark One wants the most!'

'It will stay there, the thing is a bloody - '

'It does not matter! It is done, you sniveling worm!' he yelled at the little man, 'Go to your room!'

The next day was sunny and warm. The way Snape hated it.

Around noon, there was a small rap at the door. Snape answered it, to find Narcissa again.

'Thank you,' she said, her eyes streaming, as she dropped to her knees, and hugged him round his middle. 'Thank you so much - so much.'

'I did what I was to do.'

'And now the Dark Lord himself has summoned you.' Narcissa sniveled as she rose to her feet. 'He is most angered, so be gentle.'

'Where does he summon me to?' Severus asked quietly.

'Headquarters. ' She said, and he Disapparated to a tall, shabby, mansion, the white paint turned a dull grey from dust and dirt, the grass long, and half the windows broken or cracked.

Severus breathed in the scent of the nearby bog, one he enjoyed greatly. He entered the shabby entrance to a long, painted gray hall that went down the whole house, opening up into a long room that stretched from wall to wall the other side of the building. He walked down the hall, entering the door less room, painted blood red. There he stood, the Great One himself, his back to Snape.

'Yes, lord.' Breathed Severus, a shiver running down his spine.

'Why, Severus did you perform Draco Malfoy's task?'

'I had no other choice. I made the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy to do it for him. It was either he or I.'

'Severus,' Voldemort hissed. 'I cannot let the boy into our ranks because he hasn't proved himself worthy. Your actions have angered me. I am going to let you leave the Death Eaters - '

'NO!' Severus roared, as he fell to his knees. "No, anything but that! No, master. I will do anything - '

'Severus,' Voldemort hissed, a slight tone of bliss in his serpentine voice, pulling his wand. 'I have no other choice. I cannot have someone who does not follow my orders, and my orders were that Draco Malfoy was going to murder Albus Dumbledore for me. You must now die - '

'EXPELLIARMUS!' Severus screamed, pulling his own wand and pointing it at Voldemort's chest, and froze. He had attacked his master. He would certainly be executed now.

Severus ran. He ran far away. As far away as his scrawny legs would take him. Just get away.


	2. Without Remorse

Harry Potter was bored, as usual. Back at the Dursley's, this summer seemed duller than last, with now Sirius and Dumbledore gone.

_I'll kill him, _he told himself over and over. _I'll kill Snape and Bellatrix, and Voldemort with them. Kill the people who took everything from me. _

And when they would be dead, Ginny would be his. Her hair like fire, just like her personality. Wild, sexy, unafraid. Many nights he would lay awake, envisioning killing Voldemort, with her at his side, Ron and Hermione behind them, the Order behind them, cheering on the battle, while they themselves fought the Death Eaters.

_Fighting Snape._

His Hogwarts letter had come, with what seemed like hundreds from Ron and Hermione (especially Hermione) demanding he finished his education at Hogwarts.

_I'll think about it_, he wrote back. He even had some letters from Bill and Charlie Weasley, stating the importance of education, with multiple postscripts from Mr. & Mrs. Weasley.

He had no lead on any of the remaining Horcruxes, or the mysterious R.A.B. He wracked his brain for every person he knew, and could only think of the name Regulas Black.

It couldn't be him though, he was long dead, Sirius told him.

The fake Horcrux locket was around his neck, and although Harry has memorized the message, he read it over and over.

_To the Dark Lord . . ._

Had to be someone who'd been behind him, taking the real Horcrux, while Harry learned Snape's true identity.

_I know I will be dead long before you read this . . ._

Been _right there . . ._

_but I want you to know it was I who discovered your secret . . ._

Had Dumbledore told him anyone was helping him with the Horcruxes?

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match . . ._

He knew about the Prophecy. . . .

_you will be mortal once more . . . _

Right behind him . . .

_R.A.B._

Hedwig knocked on the window, a letter on her leg. It was from Ron, by the writing. Hedwig soared around the room while Harry read the letter:

_Harry,_

_Pack your stuff, and we'll be there in twenty minutes._

_Ron_

This was the shortest note Ron had sent yet. How would the Weasley's get there in twenty minutes? They had always shown up, but, _twenty minutes . . ._

Harry went downstairs, where Uncle Vernon was watching the morning news this Saturday morning. Aunt Petunia was flipping pancakes in the kitchen, and Dudley was sitting at the table, his piggy eyes following his mothers' every movement. Harry walked up to Uncle Vernon.

'Uh, Uncle - '

'Hm?' Came his uncle's response, and his gaze never left the television set.

'My friend is going to be picking me up shortly.'

'Will you be coming back?' Uncle Vernon suddenly seemed interested.

'No.'

His face split with pleasure.

'Did you hear that Petunia? The boy's not coming back!'

Aunt Petunia came in, her arms crossed, glowering.

'We house you, feed you, clothe you, and this is our thanks?'

'I've put up with your bullying, your tormenting, your dinner parties, and your obnoxious sister.' Harry said, throwing a look worthy of Vernon Dursley at his uncle. 'And this is my thanks?'

Uncle Vernon leapt to his feet, his face purple, charging at Harry.

'Don't touch me.' He said, pulling his wand and pointing it at Uncle Vernon's chest. 'Or I'll do to all of you what I did to your sister.'

'You can't do magic outside of your school!' Aunt Petunia bellowed, triumphs diluting her voice.

'Not anymore. I'm seventeen today, and aren't under-aged now. I can do whatever I want.'

Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to say something, but shut it quickly.

'Thought so.' Harry laughed. 'Smart move. You should see what I can do.' He flicked his wand at the television, which turned off, and he rushed up the stairs.

He opened his suitcase, flicked his wand, and all his things flew out of theirs places, and into his suitcase. He zippered it shut, and waited for the Weasley's.

With a small pop ten minutes later, there stood Mr. Weasley, looking oddly un-chipper.

'Let's go, come on!'

Harry grabbed his bag, joined his arm, and with another small pop they were off.

When they arrived, it wasn't in the Burrow. It was a grubby sitting room with mismatched chairs, and a large wall covered with books.

Mr. Weasley sat in a large armchair.

He now had long, greasy black hair.


	3. Letters

It was surprising how quickly Mr. Weasley transformed into Severus Snape, wearing odd muggle garments. Snape took out his wand, and drew from his neck to his feet an invisible line in the air, as his usual black robes replaced his muggle attire.

'I'll kill you!' Screamed Harry, drawing his wand threateningly. 'You killed Dumbledore!'

'Oh, you too are in on my little secret. Tell me, Potter, do you know the full extent of his death? Do you know why I, such an accomplished wizard, would murder one of my few superiors? For power? I had enough at the time. Out of hate? No, the only person I hate is now dead. For Draco Malfoy? Partially. To save my own life? Precisely.'

'Loads of good it did, you only extended your life a few more weeks.'

'You never, precious Potter, have been on both sides of the fence. You have never experienced lie after lie after lie.

'The instance around Dumbledore's death began last summer, around this time. Voldemort had given Draco Malfoy his task, to kill Dumbledore, to earn his way into the Death Eaters.

'It was shortly after that Narcissa Malfoy showed up at my door, pleading for me to save her son. It was there I made the Unbreakable Vow with her.'

'You could have said no' Harry sneered.

'And betray myself to the Death Eaters? No, Potter, I made the Vow out of fear of being thought "unwanted"

'School was back in, and I kept an annoying close eye on Master Malfoy. I went to Dumbledore, explaining the predicament. Taken aback, he told me to follow through when the time came, for both Dumbledore and I knew the boy was too weak to perform the task.'

'So whose side are you on?'

'I myself did not know the answer to that question until the day after Dumbledore's death. I knew the Order would never take me back after I betrayed their master. I returned here, shaken and beaten.

'The next morning after the death, Voldemort asked for a private audience with me, where I was informed that my services were no longer needed. I didn't follow orders, Draco Malfoy and no other were to perform the task, so I fled with my life.

'And for the last month, I have been working alone, gathering a minute group of rebels and outcasts, awaiting the day Voldemort would be overthrown.

'And so Potter that is why I have brought you here. You must return to Hogwarts and act as my spy.'

'No.' Harry murmured. 'You expect me to work for you?'

Snape stood up, waved his wand, and Harry flew against the wall behind him. Picking himself up, dusted himself off, drew his wand, and silently said 'EXPELLIARMUS!', as Snape's wand flew into his outstretched hand.

Snape sank to his knees, clearly beaten. 'Potter, I surrender. Please, Potter, show me mercy. Like your mother did. My ways have changed.'

'Why, Severus? Give me one good reason not to kill you right now.' Harry snapped, walking over and sticking both wands into Snape's throat.

'Because I know what the final Horcrux is. And I know the general location of the others.'

'You have my attention.' Harry relaxed his grip.

'Not so fast.' Snape said.

'You lied!' Harry realized, his face contorting and his grip tightening. 'You told the truth up to where you want my help! You brought me here to kill me and earn your way back into the Death Eaters!'

'Indeed.' Snape said, a look of dark glee crossing his face. He grabbed Harry by the throat, taking back his wand, straightened out digging his wand into Harry's chest.

'Stupefy!' He muttered. Harry blacked out, and Snape let his limp body fall to the ground.

Retrieving quill and parchment, he wrote the message:

_I have the boy._

_I write this in a pen spattered with fresh blood, my blood._

_The darkness covers the earth. No one can stop its destructive power. We must now kill or be killed. And I failed to kill. Except for myself. _

_I have done what was to be done, and now must take myself out to save those around me. _

_Do not give in. _

_I love you, my darling, my dearest. Your hair around me, the taste of your lips, you will know first of what has been done here tonight. _

_Marlena, I love you with all my heart, until death stops it. Til the end. _

_The darkness blurs my vision, and you rose, you are the sight upon my dying eyes._

_I have given myself to you, to the end._

_I want you._

_I need you._

_I love you._

_For love cannot last._

_R.A.B._

_Join me in my death, Marlena._


	4. A War of A Million Battles

(FYI- Just to end the confusion, in the last chapter there is an asterisk between Snape's letter and the letter from R.A.B. Snape's is only one line and only says "I have the boy". "I write this in a pen..." Is the second letter.)

The soft warm summer wind was gentle to the touch, caressing quietly the face of the bartender of the Hog's Head. He sipped his cup of tea, and picked up that morning's edition of the _Daily Phrophet_, the headline blazed most people's mind.

_DUMBLEDORE DEAD - DEATH EATERS FOUND RESPONSIBLE_

_Was only two short days ago the man we all knew and loved was found dead, laying on the ground underneath one of the towers at Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore, 154, was believed by almost everyone to be immortal. His words of wisdom have influenced us all, lifting our hearts in sorrow, and making us smile when we're down. _

_Recently, Death Eater activity was reported at Hogwarts, and it seems that one hit Albus with a killing curse, knocking him off the tower, to send him to his death. _

'_I won't tell you a damned thing.' Said a hostile Minerva McGonagall, newly instated Headmistress of Hogwarts._

'_This one won't be forgotten, Severus must be furious for letting this happen.' Filius Flitwick reported, the morning after. Severus Snape was not present for an interview._

The bartender threw the paper onto the small table before him, and picked up a letter. In thin, spidery letters was his name. He opened it slowly, clutching the parchment in his hands.

_Dear Brother,_

_My dear Aberforth, by the time you read this, it will most likely be too late. It has been rumored by the most reliable that tonight there will be a Death Eater invasion in the castle, so I will be taking Harry Potter to a cave far away to claim one of the horcruxes of Voldemort's. It is with deep remorse that I must say that those who will show up tonight will certainly be after me, as it is in Draco Malfoy's hands to do so. Sadly, I say tonight will be his night to shine to the rest of his kind, and stop him I cannot. Death is a long awaited friend to those who have lived a full life, and mine has been too long. _

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

These word were meaningless now, the deed was done, Dumbledore dead. A small tear bubbled in Aberforth's eye. Murdered.

Now the war had turned for the worst.


	5. The Turning Tide

(These are not my characters or my universe. The following is thoughts on the series)

A quick snap made Snape snap awake only to fall back asleep, only to not know what was really going on.

He snapped awake again, but it was wet this time, and he was bound in a chair, bound with chains...

He woke up for good this time, and he looked around the room. The only light was shining directly down onto him, and the rest was covered in shadow. His head was dropped onto his chest, and water dripped onto him.

'Good, keep him awake.'

Snape knew that voice all too well. Voldemort.

'I shall master.'

Snape knew that voice too well again. Lucius.

'I see you've gotten yourself out of prison.' Snape said this is a darkly monotone voice. 'You were safer there.'

Lucius Malfoy walked out of the shadows. He looked paler, if that were possible, and looked not only thin, but underfed. Lucius reached out with a leather gloved hand, and smacked Snape hard enough to break the skin. A trickle of blood ran down Snape's cheek.

'Who do you think you are?' Lucius had that same evil glare in his eye. 'I serve the Dark Lord, and was imprisoned for it, all while you stayed all safe and happy at Hogwarts.' His hands gestures were the same that Draco used when he was angry. 'I endure Dementors, madness, and those, those, _creatures_ of men. How dare you call yourself Death Eater, you traitor, you foul - '

'How dare you call me a Death Eater, Lucius, so go hide in your corner and wait for your _lord_ to instruct your every move.'

A dark malice grew in his eyes.

'Where is the boy?' Lucius was on fire now. 'Where is Harry Potter?'

'I don't know.'

'Don't lie to me Snape!'

'The boy was left in my house last night. In the living room.'

'We checked the room! We checked the whole house!' Lucius moved forward, putting his face inches from Snape's, thrusting his wand into Snape's throat. 'Where are you hiding the boy?'

'I left him there.. Wormtail.' This last word he spoke was under his breath.

'What was that?'

'I left him there.'

'No, you said something else.'

'I said nothing.'

Lucius moved back from him, keeping his eyes on Snape.

'Dumbledore has perverted - '

'Dumbledore is dead.' Snape shouted, with an odd bit of apathy in his voice.

'I see my son has succeeded.'

'Your son was too weak. I did it.'

'Oh. I see. You feel my son not good enough, but let me tell you, Draco will be victorious against filth like you any day.' Lucius shoved his nose into the air, pushing out his chest. 'My son can be proud enough to know that he is on the winning side, which filth like you can't.'

'HOLD YOUR TONGUE!' Snape roared, making the chains tighten around him. 'I would never be proud to know annihilation!'

'Where is the Potter boy, Severus?' Voldemort made his grand appearance, walking out of the shadows looking at his hand. Swirling his cape, he stopped.

'Esthetics cannot help you win this war, Tom.'

'That man is dead. He was weak, I am strong. He was foolish, I am wise.'

'Not as wise as Dumbledore was!'

'The wise can cheat death!'

'Only a fool would want to live forever! Want to see all he cared for, all his friends crumble, then have to rebuilt your whole life.'

'Only a fool would make so friends.' Voldemort's eyes were wild with emotion.

'Only because you were never good enough to associate yourself with others.'

'Severus, Severus, Severus. You cannot know the pressures of being in a position of such power, such amazing power, power to crumble those who find it necessary to endlessly deny their masters.'

'You are no longer my master. You stated _that_ quite clearly the other day.'

Voldemort's bottom lip quivered from anger.

'I have more - pressing matters to attend to.'

He turned dramatically, leaving with a swift swirl of the cloak.

'Now I can do justice to this filth.' Lucius was far too satisfied at this point.

'First, your wand.'

Snape had completely forgot about his wand at this point, and saw it laying on a small table before him.

Lucius turned away, and Snape concentrated on his wand.

His wand shot into his hand, and he tapped the chains. They wriggled loose, and he crept out of them. Lucius looked, appalled, clearly by the look on his face.

'How - '

Snape thrust his wand into his opponent's throat.

'Tell me now why I should let you live.'

'Because - because, she is alive. You know who I speak of.'

'No that is not possible, I watched her _die_...'

'So did we all. Yet she lives. I know. I brought her back.'

'Such magic is unspeakable!' Snape was truly bewildered now. 'No, not possible...'

'Fine then. She resides at 13 Knight's Avenue.'

Snape lowered his wand.

'I thought so.' Lucius's sneer was unbelievably annoying.

What happened next was truly madness. Snape lost control, he took his wand, thrusting it upwards into Lucius's jowls, as fresh, warm blood trickled down his throat. He pulled out his wand, wiping the blood on Malfoy's shirt, as he fell to his knees, dying, watching Snape. Severus just stared back into those cold, dead eyes.


End file.
